In this collection of short stories, drawing heavily from the author''s own experiences as a medical graduate on the eve of the Russian Revolution, Bulgakov describes a young doctor''s turbulent and often brutal introduction to his practice in the backward village of Muryovo. Using a sharply realistic and humorous style, Bulgakov reveals his doubts about his own competence and the immense burden of responsibility, as he deals with a superstitious and poorly educated people struggling to enter the modern age. This acclaimed collection contains some of Bulgakov''s most personal and insightful observations on youth, isolation and progress.